A Blissful Independence Day!

There is the national flag. He must be cold indeed who can look upon its folds, rippling in the breeze, without pride of country. If he be in a foreign land, the flag is companionship and country itself, with all its endearments. Its highest beauty is in what it symbolizes. It is because it represents all, that all gaze at it with delight and reverence.

It is a piece of bunting lifted in the air; but it speaks sublimely, and every part has a voice. Its stripes of alternate red and white proclaim the original union of thirteen states to maintain the Declaration of Independence. Its stars of white on a field of blue proclaim that union of states constituting our national constellation, which receives a new star with every new state. The two together signify union past and present.

The very colors have a language which was officially recognized by our fathers. White is for purity, red for valor, blue for justice; and all together, bunting, stripes, stars, and colors, blazing in the sky, make the flag of our country to be cherished by all our hearts, to be upheld by all our hands.

Charles Sumner (1811-1874)





If you have plans to celebrate Independence Day with your friends and family this weekend, whether it's at the lake, a park, or your own back yard, please take a moment to remember those who laid down their life to gain our cherished independence, and those who continue to protect it.

Have a Happy and Safe Independence Day!
From The Bliss Guild

A Blissful Journey

Photo by Douglas C. Kempthorne


Come along with us as we travel through inspiring, informative, insightful, and sometimes wacky websites and blogs. No airport parking or baggage concerns. No lofty hotel rates or fuel costs. No ‘Are we there yet?’ Just grab a cup of tea and a bit of chocolate, sit back, and enjoy the journey!

Check out this cool gadget! A Book and Journal Binder from 7 Gypsies.
http://www.sevengypsies.com/

The Ice Cream Man; a sweet post by Heather Ross
http://heatherross.squarespace.com/journal/2009/5/7/the-ice-cream-man.html

Found on Bliss Guild Member Jennie Baer’s Homeberries Blog
http://jenniebaer.wordpress.com/2009/03/31/what-to-do-with-books-collecting-dust/

Recycling your electronics with Danny Seo
http://www.dailydanny.com/?p=1413#comments

Less IS More; a biz book recommendation from Art Bead Scene:
http://artbeadscene.blogspot.com/2009/05/ready-bead-biz.html


Help save the Rain Forests. Be sure to check the ‘About’ page and her lovely blog.
http://raintees.com/index.php/home/

A little something to make you smile (unless you are the one being duped!)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q6NU5K3k8Xo&feature=player_embedded


Did you enjoy the journey? Please drop us a line so we know you visited.

Father's Day History & Gift Ideas

The idea for creating a day for children to honor their fathers began in Spokane, Washington. A woman by the name of Sonora Smart Dodd thought of the idea for Father's Day while listening to a Mother's Day sermon in 1909.

Having been raised by her father, William Jackson Smart, after her mother died, Sonora wanted her father to know how special he was to her. It was her father that made all the parental sacrifices and was, in the eyes of his daughter, a courageous, selfless, and loving man. Sonora's father was born in June, so she chose to hold the first Father's Day celebration in Spokane, Washington on the 19th of June, 1910.

In 1926, a National Father's Day Committee was formed in New York City. Father's Day was recognized by a Joint Resolution of Congress in 1956. In 1972, President Richard Nixon established a permanent national observance of Father's Day to be held on the third Sunday of June. So Father's Day was born in memory and gratitude by a daughter who thought that her father and all good fathers should be honored with a special day just like we honor our mothers on Mother's Day.

An excerpt from the Silver Anniversary Book on Father's day published in 1935....

A father sat with bowed head in his aloneness. About him clung his weeping children. The winds outside threw great scarfs of powdered snow against the window panes, when suddenly the last born tore himself from the group and rushed out into the storm calling for his mother. Yet even his baby voice could not penetrate the great silence that held this mother. Hurriedly, the father gathered him back to his protection and for more than two decades, William Jackson Smart, alone, kept paternal vigilance over his motherless children.

Father's Day is Sunday, June 21st.

A cute card you can craft from Martha Stewart.
http://www.marthastewart.com/article/folded-shirt-card?backto=true

Is dad a gadget geek? Here's some gift ideas from etsy.
http://www.etsy.com/storque/spotlight/etsy-finds-geeks-need-gifts-too-4015/

If your dad is the grill guru, check out these gifts from etsy.
http://www.etsy.com/storque/spotlight/etsy-finds-grill-or-be-grilled-4016/

Check out these Father's Day arts-and-crafts from Family Fun
http://familyfun.go.com/arts-and-crafts/season/specialfeature/fathers-day-crafts-and-gifts/

More food and gift ideas from Martha Stewart.
http://www.marthastewart.com/fathers-day

Lots more gift ideas from etsy.
http://www.etsy.com/gift-guides/business-home-and-travel/154
http://www.etsy.com/gift-guides/accessories-and-apparel/152
http://www.etsy.com/gift-guides/tools-gadgets-and-games/153
http://www.etsy.com/gift-guides/gift-ideas-under-30-usd/151
http://www.etsy.com/gift-guides/him/61
http://www.etsy.com/storque/spotlight/etsy-finds-48-hours-of-deals-for-dads-4055/
http://www.etsy.com/storque/etc/your-dad-is-in-luck-4102/
http://www.etsy.com/storque/spotlight/etsy-finds-adventures-with-dad-4088/
http://www.etsy.com/storque/spotlight/guest-curator-fathers-day-fun-with-extreme-crafts-garth-john-4076/

Wedding Bliss

June has historically been known as a popular wedding month -- possibly because of its name, June, after Juno the Roman goddess of marriage who would bring prosperity and happiness to all who wed in her month. Or it could be because June signified the end of Lent and the arrival of warmer weather, and time to partake in one’s annual bath.

We’ve put together some great sites of All Things Wedding. We hope you enjoy.

For the Hippie in you, an absolutely far out story about a true-life Hippie wedding!
http://www.etsy.com/storque/handmade-life/hippie-handmade-weddings-circa-1972-baby-3742/

A beautiful collection of wedding fashion through the years from V&A
http://www.vam.ac.uk/things-to-do/wedding-fashion/home

A Blast From the Past ‘70’s wedding
http://www.etsy.com/storque/handmade-life/handmade-weddings-1970s-blast-from-the-past-1445/

From the Style Me Pretty Blog, the DIY Napkin Wrap—it’s the cutest! Check out the rest of this lovely wedding blog.
http://www.stylemepretty.com/2009/06/02/diy-napkin-wrap/

From Brenda’s Wedding Blog, a vineyard/barn wedding (what could be better!)
http://www.brendasweddingblog.com/

A Handmade 1980’s wedding. Check out the hair!
http://www.etsy.com/storque/handmade-life/handmade-wedding-series-1980s-with-confections-1305/

The perfect cake topper. While you’re there, vote for your favorite!
http://www.etsy.com/storque/etc/vote-which-wedding-cake-topper-takes-the-cake-4103/

Check out Laura Hooper’s Calligraphy for that perfect invitation.
http://lhcalligraphy.com/accolades_press/accolades.htm

Etsy’s Wedding and Celebration Guide.
http://www.etsy.com/gift-guides/weddings-and-celebrations/107

Five sisters, one amazing day.

http://www.etsy.com/storque/handmade-life/handmade-weddings-five-sisters-one-amazing-day-4057/

Portrait of a Soldier

Ellen Susan is a history buff. After relocating to Savannah from New Jersey with her husband, she got the idea to produce an exhibit of soldier portraits when she began noticing the number of uniformed men and women in the Savannah area. She started wondering about the person was like and what their life is like. Ellen wanted others to the same rather than just seeing people in uniforms. You can check out her website and the portraits here.

http://www.soldierportraits.com/photographs.html



A bit of history about Memorial Day (originally called Decoration Day)

While there are many stories as to its actual beginnings, there is evidence that organized women's groups in the South were decorating graves before the end of the Civil War; a hymn published in 1867, "Kneel Where Our Loves are Sleeping" by Nella L. Sweet. While Waterloo N.Y. was officially declared the birthplace of Memorial Day by President Lyndon Johnson in 1966, it is difficult to prove the actual origins of the day.

Memorial day was officially proclaimed on May 5, 1868 by General John Logan, national commander of the Grand Army of the Republic, and was first observed on May 30th, 1868 when flowers were placed on the graves of Union and Confederate soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery.


We cherish too, the Poppy red
That grows on fields where valor led,
It seems to signal to the skies
That blood of heroes never dies.

A poem by Moina Michael in 1915

Some Great Blissful Finds

In my search for Bliss, I found 

some goodies I just love.

Here's some lovely treats from one of our Bliss Members.

Lana of Honeysuckle Lane, a very talented artist.

I found these delights on her website

and on her etsy

These treasures I found one etsy.  Karen of Frippelous

has the best colors.  I appreciate her love of  birds too.

I even had to buy a treasure for me .

I hope you'll stop by their sites and browse..

A bit of Bliss makes our hearts soar.

Come join us at Bliss

Deena

Creative Challenge Winner!

We want to congratulate Cindy http://www.angelheartdesigns.blogspot.com/ at Angel Heart Designs, who is our winner of the Creative Challenge! Cindy wins a past issue of Victoria Magazine courtesy of Roxi!

We thank Cindy for participating in the challenge!